Enthusiast’s joy at historic discovery in Doncaster field

Ian North, 30, of Worksop, found a pair of post medievel cufflinks that date from 1662 and were made to commemorate the wedding of Charles II to Catherine of Braganza in a field in Norton with a metal detector.

Published:10:20Monday 09 June 2014

A commemorative pair of silver cuff links dating back to the 17th century have been discovered in a Doncaster field.

Ian North, a metal detector enthusiast and one of the founding members of the Coil to the Soil MDC group, stumbled upon the cuff links when he was searching a field in Norton in the early hours of the morning.

The silver cuff links, which are slightly scuffed but still intact, are thought to date back to 1662 and were produced to commemorate the wedding of King Charles II to Catherine of Braganza.

Mr North, 30, reported the find in December last year as required by law.

The item was found last October on land owned by Mr North’s friend, Sam Hall.

Experts say at least 10 per cent of the cuff links are silver. They are in two parts instead of one because of a small fracture in the pin designed to bind them together.

The cuff links have an inscription on them referring to the Royal marriage.

Mr North said he was passionate about his metal detecting hobby and that he has been regularly searching fields across the borough for the last three years.

He said: “I got back from holiday and cheekily snuck out to do a bit of metal detecting in a field in Norton at about 5am.

“I was just heading back to my car, when the detector picked up something within a 100 metre radius. I went back to search and found the cuff links within an hour.

“I took them home, cleaned them up and researched them. Finally finding some treasure is brilliant.”

Mr North said the item was the ‘best thing he had ever found’.

It has been sent to the British Museum and experts said it qualifies as treasure because of its precious metal content and its age.

Doncaster Museum has also expressed an interest in acquiring it.

Mr North said he was proud to have found the cuff links, and believes it is important that people follow the correct legal process when rare items are discovered.

He said: “It’s important that these items are reported, to record history for people in the area.

“People who don’t report their items are ruining it for everyone. It’s been worth it for me.”

n Anyone interested in joining the Coil to the Soil MDC metal detecting group should call Ian North on 07792754910.